Families

• Parent Teacher Association
  • Email PTA
• Before and aftercare
  • YMCA Fun Company: 615-259-3418 ext. 72523
• Family Resource Center
• Food Bank
• Tutoring
• English Language classes
• Clothing Closet
• Social and Emotional Learning
• Adult job readiness skills, e.g. resume writing

Parent and Family Engagement Policy

Parents are Partners at Henry C. Maxwell Elementary
Parental involvement is critical to the educational success of children. Parents are very influential in helping their children achieve high academic standards. When schools, families, and community groups work together to support learning, children are successful, and schools improve. You, as parents, are partners in your child’s education and are encouraged to be actively involved. Listed below are ways in which parental involvement is employed at Maxwell Elementary. 

Communication with Parents

• Parents are informed of the school curriculum and expected proficiency levels by receiving an explanation of the State Academic Standards, progress reports, report cards and TN Ready information.
• The marquee in front of school is utilized to relay important information to parents.
• A multi-language school wide call out system and email system is used in order to quickly reach a large number of families.
• Written communication to parents will be provided in an understandable format and language as much as possible.
• Parents will be provided timely notice when their child has been assigned or taught for four or more consecutive weeks by a teacher who is not highly qualified within the meaning of the term in section 200.56 of the Title I Final Regulation (TSBOE, Parent/Family Involvement Standards, 4.207.)
• Parents will be provided opportunities to communicate with school staff through student agendas, e-mail, phone calls, parent conferences, support team meetings, surveys, and all other meetings requested by parents to be an active participant in the education of their children.
• A parent communication board will also be located on the front porch of the school, which includes volunteer opportunities and upcoming events.
• In response to parent feedback, Maxwell faculty and staff will be encouraged to communicate with parents electronically. This includes but is not limited to call out messages also being sent via email.

Meeting with Parents

• Parent Involvement programs will be advertised in a timely manner through newsletters, school newspaper, flyers, and the outside marquee.
• Parents are invited to attend classroom activities (field trips, parties, assemblies) and to volunteer for various activities as identified by administration, teachers and school staff once they have a cleared background check by PENCIL. We will provide reasonable support for these activities per request.
• Parents are involved in planning, review and improvement of the Parent-School Compact and the School Improvement Plan, Title I program, or any school-wide program plan by volunteering to serve on the PTA or other school committees, responding to surveys, and attending Annual Meeting to vote on issues each year.
• Fifth grade students are transported to an orientation day at Marshall Middle during the spring each year. Parents of Pre-K students will be invited to attend the Kindergarten Open House to assist in transition.
• Suggestions are always welcome.

The Henry Maxwell Elementary School faculty and the parents of the students participating in activities, services, and programs funded by Title I, Part A of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) (participating children), agree that this compact outlines how the parents, the entire school staff, and the student will share in the responsibility for improved student academic achievement and the means by which the school and parents will build and develop a partnership that will help children achieve the State’s high standards.

Maxwell Elementary School Responsibility

1. Provide high-quality curriculum and instruction in a supportive and effective learning environment that enables the participating children to meet the State’s student academic achievement standards as follows:

• Use district/state curriculum materials and effective instructional methods
• Provide positive classroom management
• Show respect for students and families of all cultures
• Demonstrate the belief that all students can and will learn

2. Hold parent-teacher conferences (at least annually in elementary schools) during which this compact will be discussed as it relates to the individual child’s achievement. Specifically, those conferences will be held:

• October
• As needed at any other time

3. Provide parents with frequent reports on their children’s progress. Specifically:

• Progress reports at mid-term
• Report cards every 9 weeks
• Individually as needed

4. Provide parents reasonable access to staff. Staff will be available for consultation with parents as follows:

• Parent-Teacher conferences
• Report cards every 9 weeks
• Individually as needed

5. Provide parents opportunities to volunteer and participate in their child’s class as follows once a cleared background check from PENCIL is received:

• Volunteer sign-up sheets, email requests, phone calls, call-outs
• Field Trip help as needed

Parent Responsibility

1. Support child's learning by:

• Having child attend school every day, on time, and remain at school the entire day
• Helping with homework and practicing skills at home
• Showing respect for my child, the teacher, the school and it’s expectations

2. Support the school by:

• Volunteering for various school events or committees after receiving a cleared background check by PENCIL
• Providing input on surveys or other documents
• Helping my child solve problems in a nonviolent way

Student Responsibility

1. Agree these things are important in my learning process:

• Try to do my best and learn by completing all daily assignments and homework
• Show respect for my teacher, my classmates, my school, and myself
• Tell my parents what I learned at school each day
• Work cooperatively with classmates